Subject: http replacing ftp

From: [email-masked] (William L. Sebok)
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 1997 15:01:54 -0500 (EST)

The main thing that I miss in http access to files that I find in most ftpd
servers is the -t option to the ls command, i.e. the option to request a
listing of entries sorted by time.  That way it is easy to spot what is new.  I
know that it might be possible to set up one's httpd server to do this but it
is seldom done.

sunsite.unc.edu has set up parallel http and ftp access to their archive.  I
find that I still need to go in with ftp because I cannot get a time sorted
directory listing with http.

Bill Sebok      Computer Software Manager, Univ. of Maryland, Astronomy
	Internet: [email-masked]	URL: http://www.astro.umd.edu/~wls/

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From: Evan Champion <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 1997 15:18:16 -0500 (EST)

> know that it might be possible to set up one's httpd server to do this but it

The directory listing that is returned is a function of the web server, 
not the protocol.
  
For example, with Apache, you could have a cgi generate the directory 
listing, and suppose you click on the "date" title, it could return the 
files sorted by date for you.

Evan
--
Evan Champion            * Director, Network Operations
mailto:[email-masked] * Directeur, Exploitation du reseau
http://www.synapse.net/  * Synapse Internet

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From: Alain Magloire <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 1997 15:24:36 -0500 (EST)

Bonjour Mr William L. Sebok

> servers is the -t option to the ls command, i.e. the option to request a
              ^^^^^^^
I don't think, you should take this for granted.
There is no rules/std on the ouptut of LIST/NLST in any RFC for FTP.

It works because a good majority of ftp will spawn .. popen("/bin/ls")

Actually a good part of ftpds that do not run on Un*x or have a
BUILTIN_LS will just neglect this in the good case scenario or reject
it in the worse case scenario. I've seen some BUILTIN_LS
ftpd respond:
: -t file not found

But we should not worry about this .. Un*x rules ... right ? :-)

-- 
au revoir, alain
_______P_________O____________I______R___________E___
POIRE: Premature Optimization Is the Root of all Evil
                     D.K or is it B.K ? maybe A.M ;-)